Desk distributor set



March 11, 1930. w 1, CUBBERLEY 7 1,750,576

DESK DI STRIBUTOR SET Filed Sept. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 11-,1930. w. 1. CUBBERLEY DESK DISTRIBUTOR SET Filed Sept. 5, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 awwnto'a Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATE WARNER I.GUBBER-LEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA' 1 DESK DISTRIBUTOR SETApplication filed September My present invention, in its broad aspect,has to do with improvements in so-called distributing sets for use ondesks, tables, in shops, stores, and the like, whereby different 5 typesof mail, such as iii-coming and outoing, bills, letter mail, and thelike, or diferent folders, files and the like, or drawings, books,pamphlets, may be held and sorted into difierent compartments, suchcompartments being adjustable in size and number. More particularly itis my purpose to provide a desk distributor set of this generalcharacter which is cheap, efficient, may be decorated, and thecompartments of which may be of any desired size or number, andespecially it is my purpose to utilize that type of device having asubstantially vertical and a horizontal portion such as is disclosed inmy Patent #1,725,702, and in my pending application Serial #383,944 andothers. I utilize my devices having a substantially vertical portion,and corrugated horizontal portions of two types, namely of the typehaving a horizontal portion in the nature of a single tongue orextension out of the center part of the vertical portion such as isdescribed and shown in Figure 4 of my pending application Serial#383,944; and the type having a slot in the center of the horizontalportion such as is 3! shown in Figure 10 of my Patent #1,725,702. Inpractice the desk distributor set or the like is built up of a pluralityof the two types of devices; that is those having the single tongue areplaced so that the single tongues are po- 3 sitioned between thetongues, and in the slots, of the slotted type, and may extend under thehorizontal portions of the slotted type to form very small compartments,while the horizontal portions of the slotted type are ar- 4 ranged withthe corrugations interengaging to form a set up unit; the interengagingcorrugations in conjunction with the weight of the objects in thecompartments and on the horizontal portions holding the several membersin their adjusted positions, it being understood that the corrugationsin the single tongues are engaged by the bottom edges of the objectssupported for a similar purpose, and these tongues are also so arrangedthat 60 the corrugations arealso engaged by the 5, 1929. Serial No.380,584.

edges of the vertical portions of the slotted type when they pass underthe vertical portions. My present invention also includes theutilization of the slotted type of devices and the devices with a singletongue in conjunction with filing drawers of file cabinets or the likeprovided with series of corrugations or indentations, protrusions or thelike in series, either in channels or directly in the fiat bot tom, forinterengagement with the corrugations, indentations, protrusions or thelike of said devices. It is also my purpose to provide book ends whereina relatively heavy vertical or back is provided in conjunction with anattached (and separable) or hinged horizontal portion, or a horizontalportion attached thereto by screw or spring means, or simply embedded ina casting or in any other way attached to a relatively heavy backing orvertical portionthe horizontal portions being corrugated. Furthermore mypresent invention includes the formation" of a base for a distributorset which will not scar or in jure the surface of a desk or table andwhich may be picked up and transported from place to place withoutspecial care.

Other and equally important objects and advantages of my invention willbe apparent as the description thereof proceeds with reference to itsseveral parts; but interpretation of the scope of the invention shouldonly be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a distributor setassembled in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of my devices formed with a centerhorizontal corrugated tongue,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of my devices formed with twotongues, or what may be termed a slotted horizontal portion which iscorrugated,

Figure 4 is a view of the manner in which 95 the devices having thecenter tongue and those having the slots are relatively placed andassembled,

Figure 5 is a view of the manner in which the devices having tongues andassembled 109 with the slotted devices so that the center tongues extendunder the vertical portions of the slotted type to form very smallcompartments,

Figure 6 is a detail view showing how the vertical portions of theslotted type engage in the corrugations of the tongues of the remainingtype to hold said devices in relatively adjusted positions when thetongues of the one extend under and through the vertical portions of theother,

Figure 7 is a side view of a book end having a relatively heavydecorative back, and to which the horizontal portion is attached at thebase thereof by screws,

Figure 8 is a sectional side view of a book end having a relativelyheavy, decorative back, the horizontal portion being attached by springclip means,

Figure 9 is a view of the base of a back of the type defined in Figure7,

Figure 10, is a View of a horizontal portion having an upstruck part forspot-welding, pin attachment, or simply to be imbedded in :he back,

Figure 11 is a sectional view showing one manner of attaching theupstruck portion of the type of horizontal portion shown in Figure 10 toa back,

Figure 12 is a detail view of a hinge or pivotal connection between arelatively heavy back and a horizontal corrugated portion,

7 Figure 13 is a view of my present invention utilized with a filecabinet drawer having a center channel and the base of the centerchannel being corrugated.

Figure 1 1 is a view of a type of my device having spaced series ofcorrugations, and another type of my device having an uncorrugatedtongue positioned between the two series of corrugations of the other,

Figure 15 is a side or edge view of a pair of devices such as are shownin Figure 14, the tongue type being positioned with the tongue extendingthrough the vertical part of the tvpe having two series of spacedcorrugations,

Figure 16 is a view of the tongue type of my device per se of the typeshown in Figure 1:1. i. e the tongue being uncorrugated,

*Figure 17 is a view of a type of my device for use with a file cabinetand wherein the corrugated part is struck down to engage in a series ofstruck-down corrugations in the bottom of a file drawer, and with a typeof my device having a center corrugated tongue extending through thevertical back of the first y Figure 18, is a view of a device having acenter slot and corrugated horizontal portions, the horizontal portionshaving end ears for relative engagement with slots to hold two of saidmembers together as a unit to form a base.

Figure 18 is an edge view of one of the devices illustrated in Figure18, and

Figure 19 is a perspective view of two of the devices shown in Figures18 and 18 assembled together to form a base which may be transportedwith facility.

In the drawings wherein like characters of reference are used todesignate like or similar parts throughout the several views The numeral(1) is used to designate the relatively vertical portion of my devices.The type shown in Figure 2 having a center, narrow, substantiallyhorizontal tongue (2), and the type shown in Figure 3 having horizontalportions formed with spaced parallel elements (QM-(2) with anintervening slot (3); both the tongue of the type shown in Figure 2 andthe horizontal portions in the type shown in Figure 3 are provided withaseries of corrugations, protrusions, elevations or the like. In practicea type of my device of the type shown in Figure 2 is placed with itstongue (2) in the slot of the type shown in Figure 3 (see Figures 4 and5) and several types having slots are built up thereon with certain oftheir corrugations interengaging as shown in Figure 1 to provide a deskor table distributing set. In the assembly shown in Figure 1 two deviceshaving tongues (2) are used and four devices having slots the deviceshaving slots being placed with certain of their corrugations interengaging, and the devices having tongues being placed with thetongues extending in the slots (3) and under the vertical portions 1) ofthe slotted type after the manner shown in Figure 5; other devices ofthe slotted type being shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. By this meansan adjustable desk or table distributing set for files, letters, books,pamphlets or the like is formed which has a number of compartments ofany desired size, and which may be added to indefinitely simply byadding more and more devices having tongues and slots. In Figure 6 isshown the manner in which the devices having tongues extend under thevertical parts (1) of the devices having slot-s; there being provided aslight recess in the vertical part (1), same being designated (3) tointerengage with any one of the corrugations in the ton ue part (2)extending thereunder to hold the same in relative adjusted positions.The corrugations in all of the horizontal members engaging the bottomedges of files to prevent slumping or slipping of the same, and thevertical parts keeping the files in a substantially vertical positionafter the manner defined in my Patent #1,725,702; in addition the weightpf the files or other objects placed on my devices assists in positivelyholding them in adjusted positions, and in practice the corrugations ofthe horizontal parts having slots register with th se f the tongues sothat the edge'of a file will ordinarily engage in those corrugations ofparts (2*) which register with a similar corrugation in tongue (2)thereby to lock the same in adjusted positions.

In Figures 7 to 12 I have shown book ends formed with vertical parts andhorizontal parts provided with corrugations; such corrugations engagingthe bottom edges of books, files, pamphlets or the like to prevent thesame from slipping, and to prevent the book ends from sliding out when abook is withdrawn and another falls down or over on the back of a bookend such as now happens with book ends having either no horizontalportion or a horizontal portion not provided with corrugations,protrusions or the like. In this phase of my invention the back (4) isrelatively heavy, preferably of cast or molded metal of decorativedesign;

and the horizontal part has a series of corrugations down the center, orseveral series extending from end to end and spaced apart. The base (4)of the vertical part of back is recessed as at (6) in Figure 9 toreceive the end of the horizontal part and has openings (6*) to receivescrews or pins to retain the horizontal part in engagement with theback. In Figure 8 I have shown means for attaching the horizontal part(5) to the back (4) by means of spring elements (7) and (7 rising orstruck up from the end (7") of the member (5) the metal mate rial ofpart having sufiicient spring action to engage over parts of the base ofthe back to hold the horizontal part thereon. In Figure I have shown aform of my horizontal part having a relatively smooth uncorrugated end(8) with a vertical tongue (9) struck up therefrom out of the out (9 inpractice this tongue may be spot welded to the back (4) or may beembedded in the base of the back during the casting operation, or may beinserted in a slot in the base of the back 1) and then pinned fast asshown at (9) in Figure 11. In Figure 12 is shown a pivoted or hingeconnection for a horizontal portion with a relatively heavy back; thehinge or pivot being shown conventionally at (10).

My devices such as are described in Figures 1 to 6 are adapted for usewith a file cabinet drawer having a corrugated center channel of thetype defined in my pending application Serial #384,559. In which casethe bottom A of a file cabinet drawer has a center corrugated channel(10') the bottom is attached to sides B by suitable means shown at C; mydevices having tongues or slots (3) are positioned thereon i. e. that isin the corrugated channel (10) with the tongues extending between theparts (2) and in slots (3) as shown in Figure 13; and

my devices may be moved together so that the tongues (2) extendunder thevertical por tions (1) and are engaged at (3), see the dotted lineposition in Figure 13. In Figure 17 there is shown a slight modificationof a file cabinet construction in which the drawer bottom Ahas acorrugated channel (10) in which is seated a device having a verticalpart (1) and a horizontal part having a downstruck series ofcorrugations interengaging with those in the channel (10) the plane sideparts (11 engaging with the smooth upper face of the drawer bottom A; inpractice certain of my devices having tongues (2) are also disposed inthe drawer with the tongues extending through the vertical backs In thefile drawer construction hereinbefore described the devices or tilefollowers engage with the horizontal portions in the channels so thatthe corrugations of the devices which engage with those of the channelsprevent slipping and hold the devices in adjusted positions in thedrawer. Slight pressure on the devices move them to new positions, andby forming the tongues (2) so that they are positioned in slots thedevices may be brought closer together.

In Figure 14 is shown a form of one ofiny devices having spaced seriesof corrugations (2 and a center smooth part (3) with sides smooth parts(11.) the vertical part (1) has an opening in the center smooth part asmooth horizontal tongue (2) of another form of my device (shown indetail in Figure 16) is positioned to slide thereon. In Figure 15 thetongue (2) is shown extending through opening (3) in the back orvertical part 1) of the type of device having spaced series ofcorrugations or the like. With reference to this form of my invention;the types having smooth tongues are prevented from slipping on thedevices having spaced corrugated parts by engagement of the bottom edges(2) of the vertical parts (1) with the corrugations, as shown in Figure14:; the smooth tongues preventing tilting and the .i (e.

In Figure 19 is shown means whereby my devices may be positivelyconnected together to form a base. In the form shown my devices have theusual vertical part 1) and spaced members (2 separated by a slot (3) andeach having smooth side parts (11) each vertical part has a hand opening(13) and on the bottoms are felt tabsor the like (14) to preventscarring of a desktop. One of said devices has a series of slots oropenings ('15) in the portions (11) in which engage the ears (16) of theother niemberafter the manner shown in Figure 19 so that said members.are positively locked together tobetransported. A plurality of otherdevices, not shown, having tonguessuch as are shown in'Figur-e 16 and(2) are designed tobe placed thereon, and also still other deviceshaving-slots (3) the assembly being built'up onthe lbase' 'a'f er themanner shown and described with reference to Figure 1.

It is believed that the operation of my invention will be apparent fromthe foregoing, and in connection therewith it is again emphasized thatwhen a number of the two types of devices are used they mayv be movedclose together to form narrow compartments and the like. Interpretationof the invention, however, should only be conclusive in the like of theclaims.

I claim 1. An office accessory of the type described comprising aplurality of members, certain of which have substantially verticalportions and horizontally arranged tongues formed with corrugations, andothers having substantially vertical portions and horizontal corrugatedportions formed each with a slot to receive the tongue of the firstmentioned devices; said devices being relatively interengaging to form acompartmented assembly when set up.

2. An office accessory of the type described comprising a plurality ofmembers each having a substantially vertical portion, certain of saidmembers being formed with center tongues extending horizontallytherefrom and being provided with protrusions, and others havinghorizontal portions formed with a slot, the horizontal portions providedwith protrusions similar to those in the tongues, and the tonguesreceivable in the slots.

3. A device of the character described com prising a plurality ofinterengaging members. certain of which have corrugated tongues, andothers slots with corrugations to either side thereof, and the tonguesfitting into the slots, and all of said members having substantiallyvertical portions, the tongues formed to fit under the vertical portionswith the corrugations engaged thereby to provide an interlockingassembly.

4. A filing device comprising a base having series of corrugationstherein, and a plurality of interengaging members, certain of which havecorrugated tongues, and others slots with corrugations to either sidethereof, and the tongues fitting into the slots, and all of said membershaving subsantially Vertical portions, the tongues formed to fit underthe vertical portions, and all of said devices formed to interengage inassembly with the corrugated base to be adjustably supported thereby.

5. A device of the character described comprising a supporting memberhaving a series of corrugations therein, and aplurality of members eachhaving a vertical portion and a substantially horizontal portion,certain of said members having slots in the horizontal portion, and thehorizontal portions of the other members fitting into the slots, and thehorizontal portions of all of said members being corrugated to cooperatewith the corrugations in the supporting member thereby to adjustablyretain the same thereon.

6. A device of the type described comprising a vertical and asubstantially horizontal portion; the vertical portion having at leastone plane surface, and the horizontal portion having a series ofcorrugations extending from end to end thereof; and means whereby thevertical portion is attached to the horizontal portion, said means beingso associated with the vertical and horizontal portions that the spacebetween the upper face of the horizontal portion and the opposing faceof the vertical portion is unobstructed, as and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereunto.

W'ARNER I. CUBBERLEY.

